THIS IS MY KINGDOM

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 3^rd Friday in Lent is, “This Is My Kingdom.”

In today’s gospel  (Mark 12: 28-44) Jesus says to the scribe [Translation: one who could write - one who is educated], “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Somewhere along the line preaching and talking about the theme of “The Kingdom of God” - faded and fell away - at times.

I don’t remember hearing too many sermons describing the kingdom of God. I’m sure I’ve preached various sermons about it down through the years.  But I’ve always felt that I neglected doing much research on that theme.

I’ve heard different theologians say that Jesus was more interested in bringing about the kingdom than bringing about a church - but I never followed up on that comment.

Speakers  have also stressed that the church realized something more visible than an invisible kingdom had to be founded  - one that has more structure and guidelines and organization - than the idea of the kingdom - which can be more vague and shadowy than a church.

The church would have more organization features than a kingdom. The idea of a church is more objective; the idea of a kingdom is more subjective.

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD SOMEONE SAY, “THIS IS MY KINGDOM.”

I’m sure we have all heard that - or the offshoot, “This is my castle.”

A man stands there in his house with his arm around his wife’s shoulder. Their house is big. He has finally risen in his company high enough to afford a big house.

He has his neighbors over for a dinner. His kids are playing downstairs and upstairs and on the stairs and they are having a great time. There is nice music in the background. He says to his neighbors - scanning the dining room and living room and he says, “This is my kingdom.” Then squeezing his wife, he says to all, “And here is my queen.”

That scenario comes in various comments and colors and scenes.

If we get that story - that scene - we have a glimpse of what Jesus was about.

We pray down deep each day for our ideal situation - which we think is God’s ideal situation. That’s could be what we are praying for at times when we pray, “Thy Kingdom Come” in the Our Father.

More or less we are all dreamers. We want peace in the valley - peace in the air - happiness in the family - a good job - things going pretty well for everyone - and if we consider ourselves religious, we put God in that picture.

LABELS

I’ve noticed that we don’t tend to say, “I am a kingdom of God person.”

We say, “I am a Christian.”  or “I am a Catholic.”

Or we might also say, “I am a conservative or a liberal  or a Third Order Franciscan.”

We might say, “I’m an Irish or an Italian or a Polish American. We might say we’re a New Englander or a Southern or a Californian or a Chicagoan or a Marylander or an Annapolitan.

But we don’t say, “I am a kingdom of God person.

TODAY: A KINGDOM PERSON

Today, in this homily, I would like to get us thinking about being a Kingdom of God person.

That would mean for starters that we try to love the Lord our God with our whole heart, with all our soul, with all our mind and with all our strength.

That would mean we try to love our neighbor as ourselves.

The beauty of this could be - we can be on the same page with Jews and Moslems and Protestants - because the idea of a kingdom is not exact - like a specific religion - with some visible signs of membership.

CONCLUSION

This is said not to confuse or water down Christianity - but to move towards some common ground with each other - not just as human but as good human beings who believe in God and try to put into practice values that Jesus stressed.